A 27-year-old Watsonville man was arrested Friday after he allegedly assaulted and threatened to kill a woman who he had been dating in Santa Cruz, police said. Officers spoke with the victim, a 26-year-old Santa Cruz woman, on Friday morning. She told police that the suspect, identified as Alberto Scalant, who she had been dating for six weeks, had assaulted her during the early morning hours in her home, police said. The victim told police she woke up in the early morning and found Scalant had illegally entered her house while she was sleeping.

The victim confronted Scalant and asked him why he was in her house. She told police Scalant proceeded to beat her and prevented her from leaving her house for about an hour. Scalant armed himself with a large kitchen knife and threatened to kill the victim, according to police. The victim was eventually able to talk Scalant out of further assaulting her and he left her residence, police said.

The victim was injured in the assault, but did not need medical care, police said. Police later arrested Scalant at his place of work in the 800 block of Pacific Avenue for domestic violence, false imprisonment, death threats, and assault with a deadly weapon.

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